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Costa Rica
In the Occupied_Earth constructed world, Costa Rica is the country where Simon_Goldberg sought refuge from the impending doom which would be caused by Global Climate Change. His fears were proven to be accurate in some respects, and inaccurate in other respects. Nevertheless, Costa Rica did turn out to be a good choice as a site for the new world government of Occupied Earth. Under the direction of Marks and Sil, of The Original Empire, Simon quickly established a powerful government that was far ahead of the other countries of Earth, in dealing with the rapid change in Global Climate. Marks and Sil also carefully introduced alien technology into Simon's new government, quickly propelling Costa Rica into its new-found status as a World Power. How did an expat like Simon gain executive power in a Sovereign State so quickly? Quite simply, by the "Brute Force" of alien influence. By selecting a relatively small state like Costa Rica, and promising its Citizens a veritable Gunshot into the stratospheric realm of the rich, the aliens were able to install a government of their own choosing very quickly. Simon was merely a convenient figurehead... useful because he was already familiar with the situation. After serving only Two (2) years as Chancellor of Costa Rica, Simon was replaced by a much more savvy and knowledgeable political figure. Simon remained a powerful political figure for many years, but in the background, where he belonged. During the first 5 years of alien occupation (beginning in 2016), Costa Rica became the premier World Power, aided by the introduction of alien technology, whenever its position at the forefront of the world economy and politics seemed to be faltering. After the initial 5 years, so many businesses had relocated to Costa Rica and consolidated their power bases in Central America that Costa Rica was firmly cemented in its position as the premier economic power in the world, and no longer required alien intervention. ---------------- Timeline of Costa Rica's rise to its position as the world's #1 economic and technological power... February 19, 2016: Alien representatives make contact with, and begin negotiations with the Costa Rican Government. March 9, 2016: Alien representatives secretly negotiate the changeover of governmental power in Costa Rica, using offers of significant wealth and benefits as leverage. Unknown to the rest of the world, the aliens are now in total control of the Costa Rican government. The next 6 weeks are spent setting up the conversion of Costa Rica from mundane country to economic and technological powerhouse. April 17, 2016: The current President of Costa Rica becomes "Terminally Ill"... a ruse to set the stage for a special election and the installment of an alien-approved President. April 18, 2016: Costa Rican law is amended to allow a non-native to hold the office of President. Simon Goldberg is quickly granted Costa Rican Citizenship. April 25, 2016: Costa Rica announces a "breakthrough" in nuclear fusion power. Pundits on the major networks laugh and discount the announcement as pure rhetoric. May 18, 2016: Costa Rica announces that construction of its new fusion power plant has been underway for over 2 weeks. Concerned representatives from the United Nations request to visit the site, and Costa Rica welcomes them. May 24, 2016: U.N. representatives declare on international television networks, "This is REAL!" Oil prices and stock prices plummet within minutes. June 2, 2016: Simon Goldberg is elected President of Costa Rica by 62% of the popular vote. June 21, 2016: Costa Rica's fusion power plant begins operations. At approximately 18% of its rated output, the power plant supplies all of Costa Rica's power needs. July 5, 2016: After its fusion plant has demonstrated 2 weeks of flawless operation, Costa Rica offers to share its technology with the rest of the world. The major oil-producing nations protest vehemently. Oil and stock prices plummet again. July 20, 2016: Costa Rica announces that it has reached an agreement to import Two (2) Million electric vehicles within 6 months, and that all vehicles powered by fossil fuels will be banned in Costa Rica by the end of 2017. August 4, 2016: Costa Rica announces that it has developed a new super-cooled processor that outperforms current Intel and AMD processors by a factor of 5. Intel and AMD scoff. August 14, 2016: Costa Rica demonstrates its new processor in a Windows PC, and it is, in fact, 5 times faster than the fastest Intel and AMD processors. Intel and AMD stocks plummet. August 22, 2016: Costa Rica establishes a quasi-governmental corporation, named "Centram" (Central America) to serve as a holding company for its newly-developed technologies. September 9, 2016: Centram opens at an IPO price of $45 per share, and closes at $124 on the same day. September 19, 2016: Within 10 days of its IPO, Centram has a Market Capitalization of approximately $950 Billion. September 28, 2016: Costa Rica announces that it has developed an engine suitable for use on large airliners that does not require the use of fossil fuels. The stock market reacts wildly. Key Boeing and Airbus representatives travel to Costa Rica on the same day. October 2, 2016: Without revealing any details, Boeing and Airbus announce that Costa Rica's new aircraft engine technology is legitimate, and ground-breaking. The stock market reacts wildly once again. The price per share of Centram spikes, raising the Market Capitalization of Centram to over $5 Trillion. October 8, 2016: Costa Rica announces that, effective immediately, all taxes and fees, for all Residents and Citizens, are repealed... Ticos dance in the streets all night long. October 9, 2016: Border Rushes at both the Nicaraguan and Panamanian borders force Costa Rica to close its borders. Nevertheless, at least 7000 illegal immigrants are estimated to enter Costa Rica on this single day, alone. October 14, 2016: In exchange for assistance in controlling the borders, Costa Rica offers both Nicaragua and Panama free power from its fusion plant. Both Nicaragua and Panama accept the offer. October 25, 2016: Costa Rica announces the development of a new-technology battery that will power a modern smartphone for 1 month, on a single charge. Centram stock price spikes, and other electronic-company stocks plummet. Centram now has a Market Capitalization of approximately $9 Trillion. Oil trading is halted on all International commodities markets. November 10, 2016: Costa Rica announces that all Citizens and Residents, regardless of status, will receive free health care at the facility or provider of their choice, within Costa Rica, to be paid for by the Costa Rican Government. Costa Rica also announces that all Citizens (not Residents) will receive an annual "Residual Dividend" from the state-owned Centram Corporation, in the amount of $9000. Ticos dance in the streets all night long. November 22, 2016: Boeing and Airbus both sign contracts to purchase Costa Rica's new engine technology for their aircraft. Centram stock price spikes. Oil trading is halted once again. November 24, 2016: Costa Rica announces that the annual "Residual Dividend" from Centram for Citizens has been increased to $17,000. Centram's Market Capitalization is now over $12 Trillion. December 3, 2016: Costa Rica officially passes the 2-Million mark for privately-owned electric vehicles. Over 60% of the gasoline stations in Costa Rica have converted to all-electric power stations, subsidized by the Costa Rican Government. This makes the International news, and Oil trading is once again halted. December 8, 2016: Ticos begin receiving their "Residual Dividend" checks, and are dancing in the streets. December 19, 2016: Costa Rica announces that is importing an additional 1 Million electric vehicles, and is accelerating its goal to eliminate fossil-fuel powered vehicles. Oil trading is halted, yet again. December 22, 2016: A major International news network interviews President Goldberg. At one point, the interviewer asks, "What does Costa Rica import?" President Goldberg answers, "Well, we import a lot of stuff, but... we don't really need to import anything. We produce 5 times more electricity than we need, we have 10 times the fresh water that we need, we grow all of the food that we could ever possibly need, and we're on the cutting edge of computer technology... although we don't actually build the computers and TVs, yet... In fact, we don't really need to import anything." Centram stock price spikes, and the stock market in general plummets. December 23, 2016: Costa Rica (mostly due to the value of Centram stock) has a net worth of over $15 Trillion, no debt, and a budget surplus. Forbes announces that Costa Rica is the richest country that the world has ever seen. December 29, 2016: Costa Rica announces that all Citizens will now receive a retroactive annual "Residual Dividend" of $34,000 per person. The labor pool in Costa Rica is on the verge of collapse, as the government pleads with its Citizens to continue with their work obligations for just a bit longer. January 4, 2017: Costa Rica announces that anyone who is willing to work will be granted permanent residency after 3 years of satisfactory participation in the Costa Rican labor pool. There is a massive surge in job applications to work in Costa Rica. January 25, 2017: Many immigrants have been hired under the "Work for Residency" program, and most Citizens no longer work at all. The aliens advise President Goldberg that their work is done, for the time being. The aliens tell President Goldberg to step down as President and hold a new election. A push is started to move to a non-legislative style of government, with a Chancellor instead of a President, and no legislative branch. February 2, 2017: Venezuela initiates the first real confrontation that Costa Rica has experienced since the alien "takeover" (which is still a secret to the rest of the world). Venezuela accuses Costa Rica of intentionally sabotaging the Venezuelan economy. Costa Rica responds that Venezuela has nothing to do with its actions. Venezuela threatens military action if Costa Rica does not immediately grant "concessions" to Venezuela. The Costa Rican government consults with the aliens, who immediately attack Venezuela with an EMP. Completely powerless, Venezuela backs down. February 18, 2017: Considering the aggressiveness of Venezuela and the withdrawal of active alien support, the government of Costa Rica decides to try to expand its power base. Costa Rica approaches both Panama and Colombia, seeking an alliance, and eventual assimilation. With a promise of Costa Rican Citizenship within 3 years for all Citizens of Panama and Colombia, on the condition that those countries will be absorbed into Costa Rica. Costa Rica quickly absorbs both Panama and Colombia. Venezuela speaks out vehemently against Colombia's decision to join with Costa Rica. Colombia replies, "Maybe you shouldn't have threatened military action against a peaceful country." February 24, 2017: Venezuela threatens Costa Rica with military action once again. Costa Rica approaches the aliens regarding the issue. The aliens give Costa Rica limited access to their "disruption" technology, which essentially disrupts all electrical impulses, including those within the human brain. Wary of the previous EMP event, the Venezuelans approach Costa Rica using only low-tech equipment. Costa Rica uses the alien Disruptors, and all of the Venezuelan military personnel instantly "Pass Out." When the Venezuelan military wakes up, all of the soldiers are still in their boats and vehicles, but back in Venezuela. March 2, 2017: After the incident with Venezuela, and the assimilation agreement with Panama and Colombia... Nicaragua is Begging Costa Rica to let it become an assimilated part of Costa Rica, under the same terms as Panama and Colombia. Sensing the potential danger of the "Domino Effect" of what it has started, Costa Rica goes before the United Nations and requests International support for its position... if Costa Rica agrees to assimilate Nicaragua, then that is THE END of Costa Rica's expansion. No other country -- Especially Venezuela -- will be accepted as a part of Costa Rica. In addition, Nicaragua must agree to relinquish all of its sovereignty and autonomy to Costa Rican Law and Rule. After some debate, Costa Rica agrees that if Honduras and El Salvador wish to join "The Union" of Costa Rica in the future, that Costa Rica will allow that, under its own terms. March 21, 2017: Nicaragua officially joins "The Union" of Costa Rica, relinquishing all sovereignty and autonomy. Ticos and Nicos dance in the streets, all night long. April 5, 2017: Costa Rica enters into negotiations with the USA for a "Single Currency." Although the Costa Rican Colón is not yet "officially" a "hard" currency, for all practical purposes, it is. Costa Rica still conducts most of its International business in U.S. Dollars, but Costa Rica is tired of making the "exchange" during every transaction. April 17, 2017: Pressure from the Eurozone eventually convinces the USA to agree to a single currency for both the USA and Costa Rica... the U.S. Dollar. The U.S. Dollar quickly becomes known as the "American Dollar." The Costa Rican Colón officially ceases to exist, and Costa Rica will share equal control with the USA over the American Dollar, in a new "American Bank", which will replace the Federal Reserve. U.S. Citizens are initially skeptical, but become receptive when it is explained that this system will provide a significant economic boost to the U.S. Economy. May 1, 2017: Several climatologists and meteorological organizations state publicly that Global Climate Change is suddenly advancing faster than expected. May 12, 2017: Simon Goldberg officially announces a new election for President of Costa Rica, and states that he will not be running for re-election. May 20, 2017: Unseasonably frigid temperatures strike Scandinavia. Low-temperature records are set. June 3, 2017: Unseasonably hot temperatures strike Canada. Temperatures over 105°F are felt throughout Canada. June 12, 2017: Portions of Canada and Scandinavia are now experiencing temperatures up to 115°F. June 21, 2017: Canada and Scandinavia are now experiencing temperatures in the 10 - 125°F range. July 2, 2017: The News is All Over the Weather Channel and all of the major networks... The Polar Cyclone at the North Pole has completely collapsed. A rush of super-cold air, followed by a rush of very hot air, is expected over the next 2 days. July 11, 2017: The entire Northern Hemisphere is Blazing Hot. The temperature at the (geographic) North Pole itself is 52°F. The polar ice-cap is melting... very quickly. July 19, 2017: Miami is under water. New Orleans is under water. Other major U.S. cities are under water. July 27, 2017: Many of the world's major cities are under water. The U.S. has lost major cities along its coasts, but its economy is still strong, thanks to the increased power of the American Dollar. New, large cities begin to appear in the previously sparsely populated Mid-West and Western states of the USA. August 5, 2017: Costa Rica officially absorbs the former States of Colombia, Panama, and Nicaragua -- completely -- and renames itself "CoNiCoPa" (Conicopa). The name incorporates the first two letters of each country, and the order of the countries was chosen to resemble the word "Cornucopia." Costa Rican government representatives have even stated, "You can consider the first 'Co' to be Colombia, if you like." All Citizens and Permanent Residents of the absorbed countries are immediately granted full Citizenship in the new State. January 12, 2018: CoNiCoPa officially adopts a completely "moneyless" economy. Money is only used by Costa Rica in International transactions. All citizens, residents, and immigrant workers are provided with everything that they need, based upon factors such as work, tenure, and contribution to CoNiCoPan society. March 15, 2018: CoNiCoPa and an impoverished, derelict Venezuela finally make their peace with each other, and Venezuela becomes the first "Partner State" of Costa Rica, enjoying free trade and an "Open Border" with limited security/immigration controls. The Venezuelan economy experiences a rapid and powerful resurgence.